The Associated Press admits it has no evidence to support its claims following a defamatory campaign article against Ohio GOP senatorial candidate Bernie Moreno.
Earlier this week, the outlet reported in two separate stories that Moreno’s email address was used to create an account on Adult Friend Finder in 2008. Both AP stories alleged that the outlet obtained “geolocation data” associated with the account creation Moreno An account for him in the Adult Friend Finder app.
“In addition to his business email address, the profile lists Moreno’s correct date of birth, and geolocation data indicates the account was set up for use in a part of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where real estate records show Moreno’s parents owned the home at the time,” it read one article.
However, the news organization admitted to Breitbart News that it did not have “geolocation data,” even though it claimed so in two separate articles.
More from the outlet:
Thus, when the Associated Press claimed to have “geolocation data” associated with a given account, it would clearly mean that it was claiming to have information that the account was created using a specific IP or Internet protocol address to which a specific location – more than just the zip code provided by the person who created the account. But now it turns out that AP spokeswoman Easton admits to Breitbart News that the AP had nothing more than that – the alleged “geolocation data” that the AP originally claimed to have was actually nothing more than what adults Friend finder based on the zip code entered by the person who created the account. This means that anyone, anywhere in the world, could enter that zip code when creating an account, and the so-called “geolocation data” in question would be exactly the same.
The outlet asked the AP if it had any “geolocation data” other than the ZIP code of the person who created the Adult Friend Finder account with Moreno’s email address. The AP found that this was not the case.
Moreno’s campaign team said someone interning for the 2008 Republican candidate created the profile as a joke. His lawyers provided statements from the person who created the profile confirming that the intern had access to Moreno’s email account.
AP admits its bullshit anti-Bernie Moreno story was based on “geolocation” data that doesn’t exist. https://t.co/yJVnQjdJU7
AP needs to retract or at least correct its story. This is a sedate scandal.
— JD Vance (@JDVance1) March 17, 2024
Exclusive – AP admits it has no ‘geolocation data’ to back up Moreno Smear
Lauren Easton, AP Communications Director…. “does not contain ‘geolocation data’ as two previously published articles originally claimed.” UNBELIEVABLE!
https://t.co/SbxvJI5wTm— Sara A. Carter (@SaraCarterDC) March 17, 2024
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Exclusive – The Associated Press admits it has no ‘geolocation data’ to confirm Bernie Moreno’s smear testhttps://t.co/mtMjWqk3gZ
—Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) March 17, 2024
